Restaurant and Bakery Consulting

Monday, September 14, 2015

I had to do some banking last week, which almost always means a stop by Sap’s
Fine Thai Cuisine on Westgate, since my credit union is cater-corner from
Sap’s, in the shopping center from hell, right across Ben White Boulevard to
the northeast. While perusing the menu I was waiting for gustatory inspiration,
and it came from the vegetables that accompany the sweet and sour dish (S-P28):
green beans, onions, garlic, tomatoes, eggplant, crunchy cloud ear fungus, and
fresh chunks of pineapple. I ordered the dish with ground pork, which matches
well with the sauce, but I also love it with shrimp and squid.

Most Americans immediately associate the term “sweet and sour” with that
gloopy, overly sweet stalwart that coats chunks of battered and deep fried
chicken or pork in the typical Americanized-Chinese restaurant. The neon-orange
sauce that’s adorned with water chestnuts, vapid canned baby corn, and onion,
and tastes more like ketchup than anything else. Although the Thai version
originated in China, it tastes nothing at all like the American-Chinese version
(nor does the original Chinese version for that matter).

Sap's Sweet and Sour with Ground Pork

The taste profile of the Thai (and the original Chinese) version is savory,
with a hint of sweetness from the pineapple, balanced nicely with vinegar.
Umami arrives courtesy of the fish sauce in the Thai version, and soy sauce in
the Chinese version. And rather than coating greasy, battered chunks of meat,
the Thai version is a quick stir fry of whatever protein you’ve chosen, matched
with the still crunchy vegetables and that complex sauce. If you glaze over
looking at a large menu, the dish is a culinary revelation and easy to find;
just ask for S-P28. It is even more delicious when consumed with the rich, nutty
flavor of Sap’s brown jasmine rice.

The ideal tabletop match would be a platter of pad sea-ew noodles (S-F3; AKA phat
si-io, phat see yiew, pad see ewe, pad si ewe, pad see-iw, etc.). You need to think ahead on this one, because
you have to choose not only the protein, but the type of noodle. I went with
chicken and sen yai, or wide, flat rice noodles (sen yai means “big strip” in
Thai). Like the previous dish, pad sea-ew originated in China, but was morphed
by Thai cooks to create a uniquely Thai flavor profile. The name of the dish
translates to “fried with soy sauce” (referring to stir frying in a wok and not
deep frying). The soy sauce referred to
is not Kikkoman, but a thick, slightly sweetened, sauce called Sea-Ew Dum in Thai
(or Kecap Manis in Malaysia). The dish
is popular as a street food dish, and is common on restaurant menus. Think of
it as a “dry” (meaning broth-less), version of lard nah (AKA rad nah), a dish
with the same ingredients, but accompanied with a thickened, rich stock that’s
seasoned with ground white pepper.

Pad Sea Ew with Chicken (with sen yai noodles)

The key to a good pad sea-ew is cooking the noodles in a very hot wok, so that
they get slightly charred; often referred to as “the dragon’s kiss”. It’s a tricky process, since the noodles
would love to stick to the surface of the wok. The typical protein is pork,
chicken, or shrimp, mixed with some fluffy scrambled egg, and the only
vegetable is Chinese broccoli, which is thinner and slightly more bitter in
flavor (some even accuse it of having a slight metallic taste). The sauce is
composed of a mixture of thick soy sauce, light soy sauce, a touch of sugar and
vinegar, and lots of garlic. Some vendors and cooks will add a little oyster
sauce as well. When it gets to the table, I add a little fish sauce and lots of
Thai roasted chile paste to adjust the flavor to my desired taste settings. It’s
a fantastic noodle stir fry that never fails to impress.

Sap’s Fine Thai Cuisine is my favorite Thai restaurant in town. They have the most
authentic flavors, and very reasonable rates with big portions. I highly
recommend the sweet and sour dish. It’s a different flavor from what you probably
expect. Over the years I’ve eaten every single item on the entire menu, and each
dish at each visit has been excellent. Sap’s is my go-to dining spot, and that’s
with all cuisines and all of Austin’s restaurants considered. Very highly
recommended.